French senate passes symbols ban

UPI ^ | 3-3-04

[Indy Pendance]

PARIS, March 3 (UPI) -- France's Senate Wednesday overwhelming adopted controversial legislation banning religious symbols in schools.

The 296-20 vote essentially gives the green light to ban Islamic headscarves, Jewish skullcaps, large Catholic crosses and other religious accessories in French public schools by fall.

The National Assembly adopted a similar bill last month.

The legislation sparked an uproar within the religious community in France and abroad, with many Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders adamantly against the ban.

Foreign governments and human rights advocates also criticized the initiative, which the French government argues is vital to defend the country's staunchly secular creed.

While the ban covers symbols of an array of religions, the legislation was sparked by high-profile cases of young girls wearing veils and head scarves in public schools.

But many Muslims -- including those who are against wearing headscarves in France -- argued the legislation would further isolate an already marginalized and angry ethnic minority.

[ItsForTheChildren]

But many Muslims -- including those who are against wearing headscarves in France -- argued the legislation would further isolate an already marginalized and angry ethnic minority.

The French?.

[Guillermo]

But many Muslims -- including those who are against wearing headscarves in France -- argued the legislation would further isolate an already marginalized and angry ethnic minority.

What do these same Mohammedans say about how Christians and Christianity are treated in majority Mohammedan countries?

[znix]

Have fun with Al-Queda

[rudypoot]

The difference between how France and the US fight extreme Islam: One fights with a pen while the other a gun. France is to Kerry as the US is to Bush. It's your choice America.

[Steve_Seattle]

296-20

A 296-20 vote despite opposition from the three major religious faiths. If this doesn't tell you something about the status of religious freedom in the New World Order, nothing will.

[Steve_Seattle]

Just curious - and I don't mean to imply I know what the answer is - but I'm wondering if the law applies to pagan symbols like pentagrams, ankh symbols, goddess symbols, etc.

[MrBambaLaMamba]

Or rainbow flags?

End terrorism, kill terrorists

[ChadGore]

This is the kind of soft religious persecution that did in communism.

[frenchgaullist]

No, actually, it is no persecution, this law is clearly devoted to fight against islamist trends in muslim people. Today in France, most of french citizens agree that the main threaten is islam.
Our conviction , shared by a majority of people living in France, remains more or less: Irak was a bloody dictature, and Saddam was a war criminal, and a majority of french people said "at last" when he was captured, but we think also that Pakistan and Saudi are in reality much more dangerous. Do not forget that 15 amongst 11's september terorists were saudi citizens.A book by french analyst Laurent Murawiek " la guerre d'aprés " working with Hudson Institute, and Rand Coropration focuses on Saudi's royal family's financial and moral support to terrorists .He demonstrates it with some strong clues.

So, of course, the main question remains , ok , why not a war against Saddam, but for instance, now in France, all financial supports to radical islamists come from very official or not Saudi foundations, not from Irak despite this country was a regime of terror.

The same Islamist people screaming in our suburds (i have personnally heard it ) "we shall kill all frenchs, christians , jews and americans " have spent for most of them some time in Saudi Arabia or afghanistan with money coming from saudi arabia. This is a fact, so, maybe the decisive war could have been conducted against Saudis, actually, our most dangerous and common ennemies ...

[sarasmom]

Not only a newbie, but a French newbie.
No amount of spin or pathetic whining is ever going to excuse French anti-USA actions prior to our invasion of Iraq.

That you have the incredible gaul to come to a USA website and proclaim "we" have a "common enemy" is outragious!France is so skilled in foreign relations. /sarcasm//

Got a mouse in your pocket?
Whats with the "we" crap?

[frenchgaullist]

When Charles Lord Cornwallis realized he had been beaten at Yorktown, Va., on Oct. 19, 1781, he ordered his second-in-command to deliver his sword to the Comte de Rochambeau, the French general who had supported Gen. George Washington in the crushing defeat of the British thanks to a powerful naval blockade by a French fleet. Responding with an elegant gesture, Rochambeau directed him to Washington, who in turn directed him to his own second-in-command, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. It was the final battle of the American Revolution, and the French had been with us when it counted.

In their schoolbooks, American children learn how France came to the assistance of the United States when everything was at risk..

Published in "Insight" in april 2003

In this period , english perople were our common ennemies,and France was present..many french soldiers died for american independance..

Sorry for repeating that, now islamism, is our most common - i insist on it -dangerous ennemy, and cold war betwen France and Usa is in order to fight against this very serious threaten, a complete nonsense...

So let's try to dialog as gentlemen use to do

[sarasmom]

I am not a gentleman.

I am a USAF military veteran, and have experienced first hand the depthand breadth of French "alliance" with the USA, due to several NATO related positions.

Haiti kicked you out of their country long ago, and it is incredible to me that you people have the nerve to send a token military force there today.
As if anything good could ever possibly come from a French presence in an unstable country.

Once, over two hundred years ago, France was an ally to what eventually became the USA.Mostly because France hated England, not for any real love of the New World.
Care to site any more recent example of a France/USA partnership that had any benefit at all to the USA?

[Dr. Marten]

Have they banned this one yet?